Health Library

Alcoholism and Family History

If you have a parent, grandparent, or other close relative with alcoholism, you are at increased risk of having problems with alcohol. Many studies of children of alcoholics have found that they are about 4 times more likely to develop alcohol problems than people without a family history of alcoholism, says the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

Many other factors affect your risk of alcohol use problems. These include how your parents raised you, your friends, your stress level, and how available alcohol is to you.

Knowing that you’re at risk is important, though, because you can take steps to protect yourself.

Certain symptoms

According to the NIAAA, alcoholism is a disease that includes at least 3 of the following 4 symptoms:

1. Craving. A strong need or urge to drink.

2. Loss of control. Not being able to stop drinking or to control the results once drinking starts.